Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this bit of indulgence… especially for the one who is thoroughly acquainted with pain. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.

A Debt of Gratitude: With great affection for mine beta, Fenikkusuken, who cheerfully nudges me towards canon escapades.

Dedication: This oneshot is a perverse gift for a likeable smart-aleck from a contrary acquaintance. Don't get your hopes up, Max. Let's face it… it's a song!fic.

This oneshot was posted on March 30, 2008.


There She Goes

Too many things didn't make sense, so Inuyasha chose to focus on the one thing that he could understand. She has the Shikon no Tama. "Give it to me," he demanded, taking a step towards the girl. There was no way she had any right to the Jewel. Everyone knew that Kikyo was its protector, and though he'd initially mistaken her for the priestess, it was obvious that this Kagome-person was a stranger. "Hand it over, or I'll take it from you," the hanyou ordered, cracking his knuckles significantly.

Slowly, the girl shook her head, his confusion mirrored in her eyes. "I'm not sure… I don't think… You want it too?" she blurted in dismay. "I thought… I thought you were helping me."

"Keh. Why would I do that?" he sneered. To his annoyance, her hand closed more tightly around the softly-glowing orb. Inuyasha scowled. How dare she try to keep it from him? He'd more than paid for the right to claim its power. She promised… The enormity of Kikyo's deceit lanced through his gut, and with an angry snarl, the hanyou tried to ignore the knife-twist of betrayal. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he taunted and launched himself at the wide-eyed imposter.

She bolted, for all the good it would do her. Though his muscles were unaccountably slow to respond, the distance between them was closed in two bounds. He dove for her, claws extended, but his slash passed harmlessly through the space she'd occupied a second earlier. Damn! Nearly had her, he grumbled inwardly as a few strands of hair fluttered downwards.

From her ungainly sprawl on the ground, the girl reached back to feel for the shorn ends as she gaped at him. "You actually tried to kill me," she mumbled.

"If you weren't so clumsy, I would've succeeded, too," confirmed the red-clad boy, gratified by the ego-soothing glimmer of fear that flickered in her eyes. "Now give me the Shikon no Tama, and I might let you live."

To his astonishment, resolve flashed across her countenance, and she scrambled to her feet. "No!" she called over her shoulder as she headed for the river. "If you want it that much, then I don't think I should let you have it."

Inuyasha stared after her, then shook his head. Crazy girl… makes no sense. He took his time giving chase, but there was no way he was going to let this oddly dressed doppelganger stand between him and his goal. She sure is stupid, he decided with a smirk. The little idiot is practically cornering herself. He leapt right over her head and landed on the bridge in front of her, cutting off her way of escape. "You can't outrun me, you know."

Intent on tracking the girl's skittish movements, the hanyou barely noticed when the old priestess began muttering her incantation. Kagome tripped in her haste to stop, and as the Jewel slipped from her grasp and rolled towards him over the uneven planking, he flashed a fanged grin. "It's mine!" he exclaimed, darting forward. Inuyasha was airborne when the half-heard spell caught, sending a popping array of tiny objects zooming towards him. He slid to a halt and flinched, but none of the little missiles collided; and despite the ominous crackle of spiritual powers that accompanied their baffling migration, nothing happened. Once the light show was over, all that was left was an ordinary-looking string of prayer beads. Snorting in disbelief, he shot a glance at the old hag, "Thanks, but no thanks. I ain't much for jewelry," he called mockingly as he grabbed the strand and lifted. It wouldn't budge.

A sick feeling stirred in the pit of his stomach as Inuyasha struggled to free himself from the offending rosary. Even using both hands, he couldn't shift the thing, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't break the cord on which the beads were strung. What is this? Another trick? Another trap? He rounded accusingly on the priestess. "Oi! What is this, old woman? What have you done?"

The elderly priestess ignored him, addressing the girl instead. "Quickly, Kagome—the word of subjugation!"

"What word?" the girl asked desperately.

"Any one will do, child. Speak the word, and it will bind him!" urged the older woman.

That doesn't sound good. Deciding he'd better silence the girl before she could make the promised subjugation a reality, Inuyasha sprinted towards her, grim determination glinting in golden eyes. There ain't no way… I won't let a priestess bind me again. Not this time.

The mysterious girl was looking at him, hunched slightly in unconscious anticipation of his blow. She searched his face with innocent eyes that pleaded with his conscience. Could he really kill a defenseless woman, even if that's what it took to secure the Jewel for himself? Cursing inwardly, he relaxed his claws and changed the angle of his pounce so that he'd only pin her down. I just gotta shut her up long enough to grab the Jewel and then I'm gone.

"Now, Kagome!" prompted the old priestess imperiously.

Inuyasha saw the girl's moment of decision, but it was too late for him to prevent her voicing the chosen words that once again sealed his fate. "Sit, boy!"


There she goes again.

"Inuyasha…"

Oh… crap. Inuyasha cringed at the anger sparkling dangerously in Kagome's eyes, knowing exactly what the next words would be. He hadn't meant to push her quite this far, but it was hard to shut up once he got going. That last comment had just sort of slipped out, and with it, some invisible line was crossed. He never should've opened his mouth to begin with, but she was always trying to get him to talk. It made little sense to the hanyou, since Kagome rarely liked what he had to say. That much was painfully obvious. Inuyasha watched with a mixture of resentment and resignation as her lips formed the dreaded words.

"…Sit, boy!"

The prayer beads' response was immediate—and violent. Kagome's command activated its spell, and the rosary glowed as an inescapable weight dragged him downward. Inuyasha barely had a chance to catch his breath before he knew pain. He plowed into the ground face-first, the impact jarring his teeth and rattling his skull. I gotta learn to hold my tongue before I actually bite it off. At least this time I didn't get a mouthful of dirt, he thought wryly.

He hated this power she held over him, and as the spell slowly released its hold, Inuyasha lifted his eyes to glare at her, letting her see all the anger and frustration he felt. I ain't some dog to be collared, he silently fumed. Kagome's only response was an impatient huff, then she wheeled and flounced off with her nose in the air.


Racing through my brain.

"Oops! Sorry," Kagome apologized with a nervous giggle. "I didn't mean it."

"Be more careful," Inuyasha growled from between clenched teeth, brushing off the front of his suikan. Thanks to the old hag, his life had managed to hit an all-time low. This time, quite literally—and from a tree branch. Stupid girl should be more careful what she says. Kaede kept going on about how he and Kagome needed each other in order to get all the pieces of the Shikon no Tama back. As if being a hanyou wasn't bad enough, now he'd been put on a leash and told to play guard dog for a girl who didn't know the first thing about… well, anything. "What do you want from me?" Inuyasha snapped.

Kagome smiled and shook her head. "I just thought it might be nice if we tried to get along. We could be… friends?"

"Friends, huh? I don't think so."

"I don't see why not," Kagome returned, hurt and confusion in her tones.

"Keh." He couldn't fathom her. Sure, a lot of her ignorance could be blamed on the fact that she came from a future where youkai were unheard of, but Inuyasha thought she was smart enough to catch on to the way things were done in his time. Youkai mocked him, and humans feared him. Hanyou were outcasts, and he was used to being called a mutt and a misfit… and much worse. She treated him well enough now, but it couldn't last. Kagome was curious and unafraid of asking questions. Once she knew, she'd look at him differently. No, it won't take long, and she'll realize just what I am. Then… everything will change. Inuyasha dreaded that day more than he cared to admit.


I just can't contain this feeling that remains.

As the spell's hold lessened, Inuyasha levered himself up, easing slowly back onto his haunches. He eyed Kagome warily, but there was no anger left in her face. Gone as quickly as it had come, her frustration had been spent with the single 'sit' command. All that remained was an odd expression that he couldn't quite interpret.

He hadn't actually meant what he said, but obviously, she'd believed his words… and they'd hurt her. Inuyasha hated being 'sat' most of the time, but he figured he'd about earned this one. At least when Kagome used the wretched rosary, it was always because of something he'd done, never because of what he was. The subtle distinction was an important one, and it made him feel somewhat better about the whole indignity.

Inuyasha squirmed uncomfortably under the solemn weight of Kagome's steady gaze, his confusion mounting as the silence stretched. She released a soft sigh, then with a distracted nod, the girl turned on her heel and slowly… walked away. After a moment, it dawned on Inuyasha—Kagome had waited to make sure he was all right before she left. The realization sent him reeling.


There she goes.

This… could be bad. This could be very bad. Inuyasha knew he'd blown it the moment he saw the stricken look on Kagome's face, but no amount of wishing could call his words back. Useless? She wasn't really useless, but he couldn't retract the insult now. He'd just said the first thing that came to his mind—anything to fend her off. She's getting too close. I can't let that happen again. He was softening towards her, growing attached, and he needed to keep his guard up. Empty words were effective weapons, but he'd never regretted using them more than he did now.

He rebelliously waited for the 'sit' he knew he deserved, ears laid back in a fair approximation of irritation. Get on with it already, he silently demanded as time stretched and nothing happened. Swallowing miserably, he risked a peek. Kagome stood with her feet spread and her fists clenched at her sides. To Inuyasha's chagrin, she seemed to be fighting against tears. When she finally whispered the word that sent him pummeling into the dust, he was strangely relieved.


There she goes again.

He knew it. He knew he'd been a fool to think of trusting her. How could she? How could she turn on me like this? Face burning as much with humiliation as fury, Inuyasha struggled to drag himself up from the ground. "Ow! What the hell! Why'd you do that?" he spouted angrily.

"I'm not letting you two fight," Kagome calmly retorted, barely glancing his way as she bandaged the wolf's arm. "Kouga's hurt," she added, as if that explained everything.

Kagome's every movement showed her concern for Kouga's well-being. Kindness softened her eyes, and gentleness warmed her voice. "Stop touching that mangy wolf," Inuyasha sulkily demanded as an unavoidable pang of jealousy gripped his heart. Has she decided that he's stronger… because he's a full-blooded youkai? I can beat him! That cocky wolf ain't nothing. Inuyasha bared his teeth as Kouga basked under Kagome's attentions, gazing up at the young woman with far too much possessiveness for the hanyou's liking.

Miroku appeared at his elbow the moment he was able to leap to his feet, smoothly steering him away from Kagome and her patient. "Now, now, Inuyasha," the monk tried soothingly. "The sooner she tends to his wounds, the sooner he can be on his way."

The hanyou allowed himself to be led, but he couldn't be distracted. Alert golden eyes never strayed from the young woman's face for long. He thought he'd been so careful, shielded himself from ever knowing the sting rejection again… or so he'd thought. I am such an idiot. Inuyasha tried to force down the fear and wonder that accompanied his flash of insight. When did I… start to think of Kagome… as mine?


Pulsing through my veins.

Awareness was a fleeting, feeble thing compared to the animalistic fury that pulsed through his veins. Fangs sharpened. Claws lengthened. Power clamored for an outlet. With a detached kind of fascination, Inuyasha explored the new joy he found in fear and death. He wallowed in the havoc, indulged this new lust for destruction, and allowed the tide of rage to carry him along. This is power? Is this what it means to be strong? Satisfied scarlet eyes smiled upon blood-stained hands… even as a flickering fragment of his being rebelled against the carnage. I thought it would be… different… than this.

Consciousness and conscience wavered, dangerously close to being consumed, when a tremulous voice teased at the edges of Inuyasha's dimmed memories. The beast he had become tensed warily, flexing gore-grimed claws in readiness as his attention focused on the girl who stepped into his line of sight. He stood unprotesting as she crept closer, trying to puzzle out the scent and the sound of her. "I-Inuyasha?" she called tentatively, then with more authority, she spoke the name again. "Inuyasha, sit."

Pain cleared his vision in an instant, and the hanyou's immediate reaction was to bellow his outrage. "Aargh! Why do you keep doing that? Do you have any idea how much… uhh… Kagome?"

Inuyasha's flash of annoyance cooled to dread as the young woman knelt before him, sobbing quietly into her hands. When the beads let him up, Kagome threw her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. "I was so scared, and when you didn't seem to recognize me… Oh, Inuyasha, what happened?" Gazing around at the wreckage that surrounded them, the hanyou could only shake his head in utter confusion.


I just can't contain this feeling that remains.

"Inuyasha, look out!" Kagome yelled, fear giving her voice a shrill edge.

Easier said than done, the hanyou thought darkly. There were too many demons diving around him for the ambiguous warning to do any good. "Care to be more specific?" he hollered back, letting his exasperation show.

"Sit!" she shrieked, and Inuyasha dropped like a rock.

The hanyou snarled in frustration as a crackling bolt of energy passed harmlessly overhead. Kagome's tactic may have spared him—perhaps even saved his life—but by pinning him to the ground, she left herself vulnerable. Who's supposed to fend that scum off now? Damn, I can't reach her! Precious seconds ticked by, and with each passing moment, Inuyasha's anxiety escalated. Kagome needed him—now. Panic surged through his heart as he strained against the spell that bound him to the earth. Tearing free with a roar, he fought his way to Kagome's side, thrusting her behind his back as he brandished Tetsusaiga.

Once the enemy was reduced to ashes by the Wind Scar's searing power, the hanyou rounded on Kagome, golden eyes intent as he studied her face. "Are you okay? Those things didn't hurt you, did they?" Slowly, she shook her head, and in his relief, Inuyasha reached out, intending to brush at a dirty smudge that marred her cheek. Thinking better of the action, he paused, then brought both hands up to lightly grasp her shoulders instead. "Don't you ever do that again," he ordered softly, giving her a gentle shake for emphasis.

"I was only trying to help," she mumbled, defensive even in her contrition.

"Kagome," Inuyasha growled, then with a sigh, he surprised her by pulling her into his arms. "I know… but I'm the one who promised to protect you. Just… let me? Please," he whispered into her hair. To his relief, Kagome nodded and relaxed trustingly into his embrace.


There she goes.

Tongue-tied, he watched Kagome's internal struggle. He had not excuses to offer, and under the circumstances, there was nothing for which he felt he needed to apologize. This wasn't his fault. None of that makes this mess any easier for her, though. With eyes that begged her to understand, he awaited her verdict. Kagome's face was so easy to read now, and he watched helplessly as conflicting emotions swirled through her eyes—hurt, anger, pity, fear, sadness—each taking their turn.

Just say it, he silently urged. It'll make you feel better. Hell, it might even make me feel better. He knew he didn't deserve it, but if it would ease Kagome's suffering a little, he could take it. Finally, the young woman just… turned around and walked away without a single word. Following her straight-backed progress with sorrowful eyes, Inuyasha felt as if a little piece of his hope for the future died, and it hurt worse than every 'sit' he'd ever been dealt.


There she goes again.

Will she ever come back? He was no good at this—waiting. Kagome had disappeared down the well without so much as a backward glance, and the days since her departure had been long and empty. Making sure the others were busy elsewhere, Inuyasha crept towards the edge of the low, wooden structure and peered into the darkness. I… miss her.

She makes me crazy, what with her clumsy accidents and her bossy attitude and her meddling ways and her sweet smile and her gentle hands… damn. With a groan, the hanyou let his forehead connect with the well's sturdy rim. Maybe if he'd been more careful, he could have prevented it. Too late now. Somewhere along the way, without ever noticing the gradual transfer, he'd managed to commit every particle of his being to the young woman who'd set him free. Although he'd started out taking care of her, he'd ended up caring for Kagome.

He'd known from the beginning that her sparkling eyes and warm acceptance were something to guard against, but now Kagome was someone he wanted to trust… to hold… to keep. Inuyasha had never spoken the words—might never say them, for that matter—but that didn't mean his heart hadn't already made its choice. She may never want me, but… I'm… hers.


She calls my name, pulls my train.

He took a step back, turning away from the possibility of rejection, fully prepared to make an escape, but a hand caught the trailing edge of his sleeve and pulled. "Inuyasha?" Head down, the hanyou froze—longing to flee, hoping to stay. "Inuyasha, wait. Don't go," Kagome pleaded.

Cautiously, he peered into her upturned face, wary amber eyes trying not to reveal just how much power she held over him now. She's here. That's… more than I expected. The sight of Kagome waiting for him by the well had been enough to erase every memory of the miserable uncertainty he'd endured during the long days of her absence. What if… what if she only came back to say goodbye. Unsure he was ready to hear what she might have to say, the hanyou gathered his pride and courage, lifting his chin to take whatever blow Kagome decided to deal.

To his surprise, the soft eyes that met his communicated their own misgivings, and he bent closer in his concern for her. "Kagome?"

As if borrowing strength from his protective impulse, she boldly slipped her hand into his, causing Inuyasha's heart to pound as he dared to lace his fingers through hers. "Please , Inuyasha. Will you let me stay with you?"


No one else could heal my pain.

Stunned, the hanyou cast about for a way to interpret Kagome's question. She couldn't possibly mean…? Hope colored his words when he finally found his tongue. "You would do that? You would… stay with me?" Kagome ducked her head in embarrassment, but Inuyasha was having none of it. This is too important. With firm but gentle fingers, he tilted her chin up so that she met his gaze. "You want to stay with me?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Yes," she stated simply, though her eyes spoke volumes, shining with acceptance and affection.

"You sure?" Inuyasha prodded as he edged closer, until he was hovering over her.

Kagome dimpled at him, replying, "Very sure."

As she reached for him, the hanyou stilled, heart racing. When her fingers slipped under the strand of subjugation beads and began to lift, he brought his own hands up and lightly grasped her wrists, halting her. "What are you doing, Kagome?" he murmured quietly.

A soft smile curved across her lips. "I wanted to give you something… and I thought this is what you'd like," she shyly explained, and he let his hands fall to his sides.

He held very still as Kagome went up on tiptoe, and the source of so much pain was simply… lifted away. She makes it look so easy. When she pressed the strand into his palm and closed his fingers around the beads, he stared at this token of his release in amazement. I ain't any freer, he admitted to himself as a rueful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but I'm glad. Realizing Kagome was waiting for some kind of response, Inuyasha leaned down until they were nearly nose-to-nose. "Stay… please. I want for you to stay."

"Really?" she whispered, happiness glowing in her eyes.

That's what I really want… what I need more than anything. "Yeah… really," he assured her. Unable to contain his feelings any longer, Inuyasha gave in to the temptation to place a self-conscious kiss on her waiting lips.

I just can't contain this feeling that remains.


End Note: "There She Goes" was written by Lee Mavers and first released in 1988 by his band, The La's. It was their biggest hit, and the song for which they are remembered. I first met the rendition of this song done by Sixpence None the Richer, for whom it was a hit single. 3,705 words.